Take the 30-Day Vegan Challenge and see the difference a plant-based diet can make in your life!

Whether you want to improve your overall health, shed a few pounds, demonstrate your compassion for animals, or help the environment, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau holds your hand every step of the way, giving you the tools you need to make the vegan transition—healthfully, joyfully, and deliciously. In this one-stop, comprehensive guide, Patrick-Goudreau

This review is from: The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Cleaner, Getting Leaner, and Living Compassionately (Paperback)

I’ve been a vegan for 8 years, and for the last 7.9 or so of those years, I’ve been an unabashed and exuberant vegan advocate.

The problem is I’ve always had difficulty identifying that “one book” I would want to give to someone who, for one reason or another, has become interested in veganism and a compassionate lifestyle. For the spiritual, I might recommend Will Tuttle’s “The World Peace Diet”. For animal lovers, perhaps Gail Eisnitz’s unflinching “Slaughterhouse” is the way to go. For someone health-focused, I might recommend something by Barnard or Esselstyn or McDougall. If I didn’t know the veg-curious person that well… well, you can’t go too wrong with something by John Robbins, right?

But no more. There is a single book that I can recommend anyone, and that book is “The 30-Day Vegan Challenge”.

What a beautiful and astonishing book this is. I was lucky enough to get a copy two days before the rest of the world at book’s release party in San Francisco, and I devoured it in two days. It’s all here: the health arguments, the environmental arguments, and, of course, the arguments on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. Oh, and there are the recipes. The recipes are a “greatest hits” collection from Colleen’s previous (awesome) cookbooks, and they’re fantastic.

But delicious “vegan food” is easy. The hard work is in the arguing, and in the convincing, and in the hand holding, and in the encouraging of those who are just beginning their more compassionate path – the path upon which they align their values with their actions. And that is where this book excels. Colleen answers every objection, every question, and every excuse that any vegan has ever heard, and she does it swiftly and conclusively. It’s a wonder to witness. If you’re vegan, play a little game and count the number of times when you say to yourself, “Wow. She nailed that.”

More importantly, if you’re not vegan (yet), play a little game and count the number of times when you say to yourself, “Wow. She nailed that.”

Are you vegan? Then get your hands on this book, and join me in celebrating that everything we’ve ever wanted to have in one place is now available to us in one place. What a feeling!

Are you not vegan, but curious why nearly any vegan you ever encounter always says something like, “choosing this lifestyle is the best decision I’ve ever made”? Pick up a copy of this book. Take the 30-day challenge! You might not believe me now, but there’s a decent chance you’ll be one of us – one of the many who Colleen calls “joyful vegans” – by the time you get to the epilogue. I’d bet on it.

This review is from: The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Cleaner, Getting Leaner, and Living Compassionately (Paperback)

If you asked me 6 months ago if I’d ever go vegan, I’d have told you that you were off your rocker. Give up meat? Maybe. Give up butter, eggs, cheese, and cream? Nope. No way.

Long story short, five months ago I watched a video showing what animals went through in the meat, dairy, and egg industries. My world changed instantly and I knew I’d never touch another animal product again. So I was left to fumble about a bit on my own and gradually educate myself on how to do this healthfully and sanely, all while hearing dire warnings from well-meaning family and friends. Luckily, I discovered this author’s podcast pretty early on in the process (Vegetarian Food for Thought at compassionatecooks.com), so that helped me enormously. (She has, however, ruined other podcasts for me, as hers are so good.) I have never been happier. That sounds trite, but I could not put it any simpler. I am a very happy person now. (And much much healthier!) But I really wished I had had this book five months ago. How lucky are you, soon-to-be-reader?

It is amazing on many counts, but I’ll narrow it to four:

1) The chapters in this book hit all the points a person in transition would ask or be asked. All the nutritional aspects are covered. Types of products are covered. Tips on making cooking easier, quicker, and more enjoyable are covered. But just as important, the social aspects are covered. In fact, the advice about social situations may be one of the ways this book is most helpful. It’s hard to put into words, but she has a way of explaining things that makes you really understand where your concerned loved ones are coming from. Her words can help you toe the fine line between speaking your truth and being compassionate to all people in a very non-kumbayah-way; no drumming circles or tie-dye necessary. I’ve benefited from following her advice — my family and friends have relaxed and are even trying my (her) recipes. Which is a good segue to point number 2.

2) The recipes are incredible. My husband, a former big animal-meat-eater is addicted to the Better-than-Tuna salad. And they’re very do-able. The ingredients can be found in any supermarket. I’ve never had to scurry to find that elusive (and expensive) ingredient that I’ll never use again. (We’ve all been there, right?)

3) The whole tone is very non-judgmental. You never feel bullied or guilted into making these changes. I got quite excited, in fact, to change. Moreover, I know that I (one little person on this vast planet) am making a remarkable difference in the world. I see it every day.

4) It’s extremely organized, gorgeous, and easy to use. No fluff here. This book is such a bargain for what you are getting. I actually feel a little guilty — like I should have paid much more.

So that’s it in a nutshell. If you aren’t sure if going vegan is for you, look at it this way: It’s just 30 days. And you’re paying the same price you’d pay for one month at a really cheap gym.

This review is from: The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Cleaner, Getting Leaner, and Living Compassionately (Paperback)

I’m a huge fan of Colleen’s cookbooks and absolutely love her wonderful, informative podcasts. She does amazing work and is a fabulous, joyful spokesperson for a vegan lifestyle! I’m so pleased that’s she’s written a “how-to” guide to going vegan!

This book is aimed at those interested in trying out a vegan diet or those ready to transition to veganism, but is a worthy addition to any vegan library. Each chapter tackles new issues, ranging from stocking your healthful vegan pantry to menu planning to handling social issues. Each step of the way, Colleen packs in nutrition and health information, as well as ethical considerations. There are more than 100 vegan recipes, so you don’t even need to buy a cookbook to take the challenge! Her recipes are easy to follow and execute; they don’t have huge, long lists of ingredients with multiple steps. In other words, even if you haven’t made a lot of vegan dishes in the past, you’ll be able to make some delicious meals! I can’t wait for more people to eat meatless and now you’ve got a guide to help you get there!

I also want to add that it’s a well put together and thought out book with beautiful photos. The author does a great job of answering questions and addressing concerns in making a transition to a vegan diet. I’m a 30 year vegetarian turned vegan about a decade ago and even though most of the information wasn’t new to me, I still really enjoyed this book. If you are just beginning your transition, know that this book will be a valuable tool.

If you are even thinking of moving to a more compassionate diet, run to your nearest bookstore or order from Amazon. This is the book you need to hold your hand on your journey to vegan diet and lifestyle. Even if you aren’t sure you can do it or aren’t ready to be fully vegan, this book will help you to incorporate more animal-free meals into your diet. Highly recommended!

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